67
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J. ,N..WILLIAMS,]
219. Mr. Eliott.] Do you think it would be any advantage to the trust to subdivide the land and let it in smaller holdings?— Not under the conditions we were in at the time. 220. But the land is suitable for subdivision ?—Yes, it could be subdivided certainly. There is a good deal of it that could not be subdivided into very small areas. ■ A large part of it is fairly poor land. A man would want a fair area to make a living from it. There are other parts, again, that are very good. Just immediately around the College is extremely good land; and along the back part of the piece which was, I think, grantde by the Government, is good land. The block opposite, granted by the Maoris, is good land ; but there is very little of it that is ploughable, and, not being ploughable, it could not be held in very small holdings with advantage. 221. Do you know anything about the new house that is going up? Has there been any arrangement with, the trustees?—No; the "person who is building the new house is taking a risk as to what arrangement he may be able to make with the trustees. 222. That is matter between the tenant, and trustees to be arranged hereafter? —He is taking the entire risk. Mr. Warren is entirely in the hands of the trustees, as far as that goes. He is building on a ten years' lease, and I should think it is a foolish proceeding to build on a ten years' lease without any arrangement with the trustees. 223. I understood from one of the trustees that there is likely to be another exchange? —That is quite new to me. 224. The Chairman.] The school was established away back in the " fifties," under Bishop Selwyn, and after that trustees were appointed, and they gave the Archdeacon power—l think, in 1863—t0 act, generally for them in the whole matter?— Yes. 225. He has had the whole management and control of the school from its inception, and the trustees have never interfered ?—I think the trustees very properly decided that the management could not be in very much better hands. 226. It was the intention of the grantors that the Archdeacon should have the management of the school?— Yes. 227. The trustees have never interfered?— They have never interfered. 228. That accounts for the present trustees not interfering: they left everything to him, and are satisfied that he is doing his best? —Yes, we have entire confidence in him. 229. As regards the letting of the estate, the trustees have acted in that only?— Yes. 230. The same in regard to Hukarere? —Yes. 231. Whatever annual grant is made from Te Aute to Hukarere, the trustees knew of and sanctioned it ?—Y'es. 232. Mr. Ellison.] According to one of the grants, the area given by the Natives on the upper side of the road was 1,408 acres? —Yes. 233. There was an exchange between the trustees and the Government of 780 acres? —Yes. 234. The Government gave 350 acres? —Yes. 235. The Natives are of the same opinion as the Archdeacon, that all the Government granted was limited to 4,000 acres? —Yes. 236. The Chairman.] Have you ever heard any complaints about the carrying-on of the school? —No. 237. Have you, as a trustee, ever received any complaints?—l have never received one, nor am I aware of any complaints having been made to the trustees. 238. Have you heard of any agitation for cutting up die estate?— No. 239. As far as education is concerned, are you, as one of the trustees, prepared to confer with the Education Department with regard more particularly to the introduction of manual and technical education ?—Certainly. 240. You are quite willing to fall in with any improvements in the system of education that the authorities may suggest?— Yes, if it is generally for the benefit of the school, I, as a trustee, would certainly be prepared to fall in with it. 241. Have you any opinion to offer as to whether the school could be improved, more particularly for the Natives?—l think it would work better as a school purely for Natives. Practically it 1 has been so in the past. 242. The accounts in connection with the estate have been rendered regularly to the Diocesan Synod and the General Synod, and have been audited? —Yes. 243. Have you reason to think that all the accounts are accurate?— Yes. 244. That all moneys received have been properly accounted for, and the expenditure properly vouched and authorised? —Yes. 245. That matter has always been left entirely to the Archdeacon and Mr. Thornton?—Yes; we have seen that all the accounts were audited. 246. Do you see any objection to the Natives being represented on the trust? —Not the slightest. 247. Do you think it would be an advantage to have a Native on the trust?— Yes, if he gave satisfaction to the Natives generally. There are so many Natives now who are quite competent to take an intelligent interest in what is going on, I think it would be quite right. There is power to add to the number of the trustees. I would like to state to the Commission a matter lam cognisant of. As I told you, I was living at Te Aute for ten or twelve months when I first came to the district. At that time there was very considerable jealousy between the Natives here about selling land to the Government, and there was a dispute going on about selling a piece of land lying from Ruahine to Marakako. I came down to Napier and met George Cooper, who was then Land Purchase Commissioner, and he said, "I have settled with Hapuku for that block of land; I have paid something, and lam going to pay something more," or words to that effect. I went back to Te Aute the same day, and told Archdeacon Williams what he had stated, and the Archdeacon was in a great state of mind about the information I had given him. He was very angry. He said there
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